To start, in case you didn't know Torch and Hornbuckle were in the MK2 Pit2 background. Torch later became Blaze in MKDA, but my scanning on the image and clearing it up concluded that "Torch" was not only fake, but he was a red hornbuckle(green liu kang) on fire. What is the meaning of this.
It means it's just a game and u are over analyzing it. They miniaturized a sprite of Liu Kang, made one green, and made one on fire for aesthetic effect. And more than ten years later it's driving u nuts. Quit posting preschooler topics like "who's the hottest mk chick" and "Does Liu Kang's zombie look cooler than a real zombie".
